Paris marks a year of public water with price cut

Published January 13th, 2011

Water prices in Paris are set to drop this spring, a year after the city took management of its water distribution system out of the hands of the private sector.

The true extent of the water tariff cut will only be known in March when the city council has definitive results on municipal authority Eau de Paris’ finances, but it is believed to be likely to be between 5% and 10%. Water prices in the capital are already well below the national average.

The city took control of its own water services in December 2009 after a contract with Veolia and Suez Environnement expired. Eau de Paris said its performance since then indicates a yearly operating surplus of about €40 million from water services, on a turnover of €230 million.

The Paris council also has ambitions to sell supplies to towns in the city’s suburbs from 2012.